Karin cries, "I… I don't want this to happen! Sasuke! I want to stay longer with him! What did you do to me!" She charges to Naruto and he seems to be clueless as well. She continues to cry and she fades away completely. Hinata cries, "Karin…"
"What happened?" A squeak from the blond and nothing else has been heard.
Naruto gulps and looks at Hinata. The brunette looks at him and says, "It's… not your fault. This must some kind of accident. And Karin… she can't be gone." Naruto stands up and tries to get out of the room. But he collapses as he reaches the doorway before him. He slams at the floor hardly and Hinata only manages to pull on his leg to tug him back the room. She whimpers, "It's morning, Naruto. You can't go out without a wheelchair." She calls forth her bewitched wheelchair and Naruto sits on it. She materializes herself and pushes the chair out the room.
000ooo000
Hinata looks around and sees a crowd of rushing doctors and nurses to a direction. Naruto gets eager to go there and so they follow the mass. The new nurse assigned to Naruto sees him and gets bothered that the fact that she doesn't see Hinata. She asks, "How'd you get here, Naruto?" He twitches and Hinata whispers that she can't be seen. Naruto then asks, ignoring the first question, "What's going on? Is there an emergency?"
"Uhm." The nurse hesitates to say but she continues, "One of the so-called lost patients starts to show movements. We need to check her out. She's been in comatose for almost… 10 years. But… she does not age. When she seems to move, we have to get there and see what happened." She takes the chair and Hinata follows them like she's just another nurse tagging along.
They reach a room and the doctors are trying to stabilize the patient inside. The other nurses chatter with each other and one says, "She's… really alive. She acts like she's been back from the dead." The others agree and Naruto struggles to get a look, despite the crowd. His nurse pulls him away though and takes him back to his room for now. She promises, "I'll take you there when the patient calms down, okay? For now, stay here." She then mumbles as she looks around the place, "This room gives me the creeps. His former nurse has disappeared before… I wish I won't be the next on the list."
"That patient. Who is she?" Naruto asks and the nurse smiles at him, "I see, you are a bit… nosy. Leave the other patients alone and take care of yourself first. If you're a little better, then perhaps, we can let you wander around on your own." Naruto makes a frown and she leaves him alone. Hinata gets the handles and says, "It feels like… something strange is happening. It's the first time a so-called lost patient awakens. What is causing this?"
Dreamcatcher Nights
Rei Haruno
Chapter 5: The Curse of the Center
'I knew it… it CAN be helped.'
"Whatever it is, we need to find it out… and help some more of them." Naruto smiles and Hinata smiles back and then nods. They waited for some time, exactly after lunch, and they go back to the room where the patient should be. But they catch nurses running around and the new nurse finds him yet again. She sighs and takes the wheelchair, "Naruto, why are you here? I told you I'll—"
"What's happening? Why are you—?"
"The patient is missing. She is far worse than your condition. She shouldn't move or she might…" The nurse pushes the wheelchair back to his room but they spot Kushina and Minato afar… assisting a patient. Hinata takes the chair pushes it towards the married couple.
Minato is trying to assist a patient who is banging at the locked door… and then to the wall… then back to the locked door. She does not yell or cry. She is very persistent in trying to open the door. Kushina tries to stop her, "Miss, please stop. No one is permitted to enter the room." The patient refuses to stop and eventually loses her strength as her waist starts to hurt. She slides from Minato's grip and resorts to rest at a kneeling position at the floor. Naruto and Hinata reach them and he asks, "Mom… who's that?"
"…" the girl stops from struggling and Kushina can't answer right away… readying for the girl's thought-so outburst. She turns to Naruto and whispers, "Naruto… how?"
It is Karin.
Karin, in her human— no, her real form. She is no ghost… that's for sure.
Half her face is covered by bandages and as well as her waist. She starts to get bloody and the nurse comes with the other nurses to assist the redhead patient. She reaches out her hand and Naruto gets it. She mouths her words, "Sasuke… why can't I see Sasuke?" Naruto didn't answer and the nurses have taken her away. Hinata clasps her hand and she smiles as tears run from her eyes, "Karin. Naruto, she… she has awaken from her comatose state! You think I can do the same? If… I'm not really dead yet?"
"Don't give up, Hinata. Let's first find a way how it happened." Naruto smiles and looks at his clueless parents. He beams, "Mom! Dad! You wouldn't believe what happened!"
000ooo000
"She'll be fine as long as she does not move so much." The nurse in charge tells the Uzumaki family about the condition of Karin. Minato scratches his head and Kushina seems to get glad. The nurse then snaps, "About the bills—"
"Nuh-uh! We're just asking about her condition. Don't… put her bills on me please." Minato pleads childishly and the nurse understands. She leaves Karin to the Uzumaki family. Karin feels uncomfortable with her corset-like brace with is strapped at her shoulders and thighs. She gazes at the humans and at Hinata… she huffs, "I… I demand for an answer. How come I… just woke up in my human body. It feels strange… I should be…"
"Dead?" Naruto finishes her statement and Hinata drops her head, "I… don't know as well, Karin. For now, let's wait for the night to fall. And we go hunting for answers." Karin exclaims, paining herself in the process, "I cannot wait till— uhh, night time. I want to see Sasuke now." Kushina assist her stand up and Naruto says with a smile, "Hinata and I, we cannot wait till night time as well… but that's the only time we can access Sasuke's room through the other realm. And it's the only time the both of us can walk properly. So we have to be patient, Karin."
"Sai." Karin whispers and speaks without anyone particular to say it to, "He can… ask around for us." Hinata smiles and stands up. She goes to the door and opens it, "Then I'll look for Sai to help us. I'll tell him about you, too, Karin. Naruto. Miss Kushina. Mister Minato. Karin. Take care…" She goes out and she disappears. Karin sits at the edge of Naruto's bed, trying to rest her legs despite the fact that she shouldn't really sit down, "I'm not really comfortable of the pain I'm feeling. But it's less painful than Sasuke's flames."
"You'll get used to that, Karin. But don't worry, I'll find a way to know what happened to you." Naruto smiles and Karin raises a brow, "Will I be back to my ghost form when you do? I doubt it." Naruto twitches and pouts madly, "And it's not like I'm going to bring you back in that state. And if it's Sasuke you want, I want to know…" He tries to sit up despite the fact that Hinata is not present anymore. Kushina helps him up and he smiles at the redhead, "If there's a way for me to bring him back to being a human as well!"
"Naruto." Karin whispers and Minato scratches his head, "Seriously, I don't think any of these will help." Kushina gazes at the papers Minato has been reading. She gets amused with the number of the pages and she says, "Hey, what kind of book are you reading?" Minato shows her the files and she reads with her eyes. Karin grabs the later pages from Minato's grip. Because of that, Minato drops the papers and they clutter the place.
A paper flies to Naruto's face and he grabs it off. He reads the contents, "… and it resulted to the loss of tight competence with the other hospitals in the state. Monopoly had boosted the generated revenue of the medical section and the finance…" He looks at Minato, "What is this?"
"I have gathered every piece of information about the medical center. Maybe we can tell where the stupid curse started… but by the look of things…" He scratches yet again and Karin drops the papers she is holding to the ground, "This is futile. And your theory is… unreasonable."
"Year 1939, during the New Year's Eve celebration, the UM MedCenter was having a hard time accumulating all the patients that have been caught at the disaster in the sports center. But the situation had become much worse when an explosion shook the whole center and the hospital burned from the inside. The hospital staff had only saved those who are outside and those who are on the reception room by then. More than 80% of their recorded patients were killed in the disaster, the second one at the opening of 1940. (The Dragon has come to the two centers literally!) Instead of getting a suspension, the facility continued operating until present times."
"Can you believe that?" Kushina says and Minato picks up the other pieces of papers. The two teens seem to know about the fire. Naruto remembers the incident Sasuke took him back to. Karin has heard of this terrifying happening… since she is confined after the fire and during the times that people has seem to forget about it. Naruto drops his head and whispers, "At least… we have something about the tragedies that has taken place in this center."
000ooo000
Sakura lies at her bed alone… getting deaf by the silence of the place. She breathes loudly and seems to feel something funny again. A hand runs at her arm and she seems to have the strength to sit up and look around. And so she did. She rises from bed and sees the detached arm that runs its fingers at her arm. She grabs it and says, "Sai."
"How're you feeling, Sakura?" Sai appears at the side and his arm gets pulled away from the girl. The pink-haired girl frowns at him and she asks, "What are you doing here? And… do you know how I can kill Sasuke?"
"You? Killing Sasuke?"
"I will." Sakura eyes at him with determined buds, "That is the only way to take the effects of his flames on my soul."
"I see. I'm sorry, I don't know." Sai smiles and it irks the pinky. She sighs and speaks some more, "Then I have to know it on my own. I don't expect the other girl to say it." Sai sits at her bed and caps his hand at her shoulder, "I know a way to find that out. You want to try it? It's deep within the other realm so you have to be cautious… very cautious."
"You have to go with me then."
"Since I seem to be a pet to all women who have red-shaded hair, I would love to."
"Take me there tonight…"
"We need to take care of something first, okay?"
"What is it?"
"Just a big burden."
000ooo000
The two parties have waited for the night to come but the day seems to drag along. The time starts to get slower and Naruto decides to be alone for the time being. He wants to sleep but the thought of sleeping hasn't remained. He stares at the blank ceiling and remembers the scene at the old UM MedCenter before and during the fire had broke out…
'He has been suffering for more than 7 decades… but why didn't anyone save him? Did no one try to?'
He continues to stare at the ceiling…
Blink.
Blank.
Blink.
A man looks down at him from his side. Getting startled, Naruto gasps and looks to his side. He sees a young man and the man smiles at him. Naruto rises from his bed and says, "You're a ghost, too?" The man continues to smile and sits at the edge of the bed, "Greetings, Naruto. It seems like people from this hospital have been around you. It's nice to meet you, my name is Izuna. I've seen and heard everything that you do. And it seems to me that you wanted to end the curse shrouding this place. Correct?"
"Yes." Naruto answers, "I wanted to save them from the prolonged misery their souls have been suffering from. I know they must be overjoyed in whatever they have by now. But the truth is… it's all an illusion. More like a dream they wouldn't want to wake up from."
"But doing so… might take them away from you."
"… but I will be releasing them from their… suffering. I will be happier that way than to be with them… their pain intact. They are souls… you are souls. You're supposed to be… resting your eyes, mind and heart by now."
"One last question, young one…"
Naruto looks at the guy and he fades into nothingness, "What if… with what you're doing… you're causing him more pain?"
"…" Naruto feels weak once again and he slams back to the bed. He knows what exactly Izuna means and his sudden appearance makes him worry. He looks around and tries to reach for the nurse assistance button. He stretches his arm as much as he can take the pain of doing so. He just needs some… more… stret—
Kablam!
He falls to the floor and he curses under his breath, "Shit. When did my bed get so far from the button?" He crawls to the chair and tries to stand up, or to sit up at least. But his wounds have started bleeding again… much to his surprise. He's supposed to be completely healed up. Naruto tries to turn to the ceiling, now lying on his side at the cold floor. He stares at his blood-painted pants and at the blood pool he is creating. The feeling of hemorrhage is going back…
What is happening? Is he…
Dying?
He starts to lose air as well and he swims at the floor grasping for breath. He grabs his neckline and tries to pull it off, like he's trying to pull open his chest. He scratches his neck and it starts to bleed as well. He tries to call for help… but he doesn't have enough air to do so.
Drowning.
Suffocated.
Bleeding.
…
He finally gives a last shooting of legs…and closes his eyes. The last bit of energy has left his body and it fails to move anymore. The blond rests at the floor like a dead guy…
What happened?
Maybe they will find out.
000ooo000
Karin picks the lock at Sasuke's room. It opens… and there lies… a bloody bed. She wonders and goes in, carefully closing the door behind her. She walks to the bed and calls, "Sasuke? Are you there?" She examines the bed more and notices the waving blanket. Life-support tubes are running deep beneath the red blotted covers. She flattens her hand over the red thing and feels…
"Ahh!" She gasps as her hand seems to get burned. Her palm reddens and she yells at the bed, "Sasuke! Wake up! I need to talk to you!"
"How'd—?" A nurse goes in and she sees Karin at the place. She demands, "This place is off-limits, young woman. Please leave at once." Karin grinds her teeth and wonders why no hands of blood come from the walls. She then remembers that she's human now… deprived of her powers. She drops her head and says, "What is this place off-limits? Did something happen here?"
"No more questions, please." Karin gets dragged out from the room and the nurse locks it tight once again. She takes Karin back to her room and leaves her there. The redhead huffs and she sits at her bed. She looks around and sees a framed picture at her side drawer. She wonders what that could be and so she wipes the dust off the glass.
It is her with Suigetsu… at his room back there at the dorm. They are both lying stomach flat at the bed and books lie before them. Karin gets teary and whisper, "We were studying for the college entrance exams. We're supposed to be…" She starts to sniff as she talks to herself about the photo, "Schooling at a prestigious university together. This was already late night… and we were still up… reviewing and talking about other things. I… crashed at his pillow and he… he slept besides me."
"Karin." Izuna comes out from nowhere and it alarms Karin. But she turns to him with tears running down her face. She wipes them off and she says, "Izuna. What are you doing here? And for almost a year of absence…"
"Forgive me for not being around, Karin." Izuna smiles and helps Karin clean up her face. He then looks at the picture, "After you have been confined here, your mother brought that picture and leave it with you… hoping that it will make you feel your boyfriend's with you all along." Karin sniffs and clears away her sobs and anything else accompanying her tears. Izuna asks in his normal gentle tone, "How're you feeling, Karin? Do you enjoy being a human again?"
"No, Izuna." Karin answers shortly then she turns to him with her normal sharp eyes, "I feel so weak. I want… I want to be a ghost again." Izuna caps his hand at her head, "You can't be a ghost of anger. It's such a painful task… and a pitiful being. Your form has vanished and your misery has already ended thanks to Naruto. He had reminded you of the thing you have forgotten. Sadly, the curse of this place keeps you alive. Even if you died, you will still be alive in this place."
"I don't care! If… this curse ends, I won't be able to see Sasuke again!"
"Karin, you gain some, you lose some. That's life… no matter how you look at it. This curse is halting you from crossing over…" He stands up and recalls his hand. He bows and vanishes, "You might be able to see Suigetsu again… if you manage to get out of here, Karin."
"Izuna." She whispers and she lies down her bed… with the frame above her tummy, 'I don't want to vanish… I still do not want to.'
000ooo000
Blood?
A red liquid drips from his head towards his eyes. Naruto stands up in a different place and he looks around the pitch-black grounds. He calls for anyone but only the whispering wind answers. He walks around the never-changing place…
Lost.
He feels very hurt and weak. He grasps for his breath and squeezes himself to keep the cold breeze from freezing him. He stops walking and he looks around. He breathes… the hot air becomes a cloud that appears before him. He pants heavily and calls yet again, "Anyone there? Sasuke! Hinata!" He looks around and whispers, "Izuna?"
"How come you knew of Izuna, Naruto?"
"Who are you?" Naruto flings around and sees… Sai. He smiles and then another figure comes out beside him. Naruto's eyes widens seeing his beloved Sakura and she crosses her arms at her chest, "Uzumaki, you don't really have to worry. I just need you to stay here while I'm at it."
"What are you doing, Sakura?" Naruto asks and Sakura smiles sweetly, "A little something about my condition. And your presence is really… not needed. So you have to stay here in Sai's place. Is that clear? And if you want me to forgive you… be a good dog and stay here. The cold won't kill you, luckily."
"…" Naruto frowns at the Sakura who seem to be not the girl he has known for months. She vanishes with Sai and her voice echoes around, "Just let me handle this thing myself. Just let me deal with that guy Sasuke." Naruto gasps and tries to run around… looking for a way out, 'Sakura! Stop!'
He sees a faint figure and it seems to be other ghosts. He walks backwards to not get noticed. But the smell of his humanity lingers and so the ghosts get to spot him. He starts to run away… around the endless grounds of Sai's nightmare.
[End of Chapter Five]
PLACARD: SAKURA = VILLAINESS
Naruto: *stares at the placard overhead*…
Sasuke: *gazes at the placard as well then notices the camera getting near them* *holds the camera's snout because it gets too close* What kind of stupidity does she wants us to do now?
Naruto: *sees the camera and looks at the scene beside them*…
Rei: *playing Naruto Accel 2 vigorously with Kakashi* Proceed, you two! Don't disturb me!
Naruto: *sighs and finally starts the end comments* Since Rei is seriously working hard to earn much to pay Kakuzu's talent fee, she forced us to host the end comments. And like what you just saw up there, this is the part where Sakura-chan gets to be the villainess. She used to like Sakura-chan… but the whole ruling NaruSaku thing makes her flare up. She wonders why Sakura always gets the limelight in the endings of Naruto Shippuuden. (I DO like Sakura-chan but I have some more important things to do so I turned her down. But this is not one of those.)
Sasuke: It sounds irrelevant but it's not. She's making Sakura a villainess because she will be making me— I refuse to read the next words.
Naruto: What does it say? *takes the paper from Sasuke's hand* *blushes in embarrassment and crumples the paper* *throws it at me* BAKA! You're not making us DO THAT!
Rei: OUW! *finishes the game and Kakashi drops his head* *faces Naruto and Sasuke* You can even call me generous and kind, you two! You're doing much more intimate things in other works! (Sasuke's not complaining so get over it!) *points at Naruto, finger imprinted with a red spiral* And I am not Kishi-chan-sama to spare the either of you from the SasuNaru fever! (He made you kiss to start with!) (And you act so gay! I can't help myself!)
Naruto: Do your end comments on your own tte ba yo! (I'm not gay! I'm even a pervert, remember?)
Rei: You're just covering it up! (You even tried to seduce Sasuke!)
Naruto: No, I did not! (He's not even affected a bit!)
Rei: It's because he's not interested in girls!
Naruto: Huh?
Kakashi: Okay. That's enough, Naruto. Just do what she wants you to before she plans to change it to something much worse. *walks to the 'Kakuzu's Talent Fee' box and drops 10,000 ryou at the hole*
Sasuke: She'll be doing something stupid and that ends this insanity. *the curtain closes* *does a Chidori and aims at me*
Rei:*yelling at the background* AHHH! I didn't mean you! (Are you guilty, dear?)